Those Chosen By The Planet
by Synonymia
Summary: Betrayed by his company, Reno of the Turks answers a weathered ad from a certain terrorist organization. What he becomes entangled in, however, is more than he ever could have imagined. The events of Final Fantasy VII twisted.
1. Act I : Anxious Hearts

**Those Chosen by the Planet.**  
_Final Fantasy VII Twisted._  
By S. Rena Valentine 

Act I  
_"Anxious Hearts."_

_Interlude_

It was their fault.

He sat in darkness, staring in the darkness, with only darkness as company. His once proud upper Midgar apartment had been hollow since he'd returned from the bar, numb with disbelief.

She was _dead._ It was _their_ fault.

The alcohol was beginning to wear off. Nothing could obstruct the path of truth as it washed over his senses. The harsh, unrelenting reality of it all. The cruel finality. She would never laugh, never smile, never nag him about the trivial and not so trivial things in life. They would never argue politics during breakfast, they would never kiss, they would never make love. It had been months since this realization had dawned on him, but it was back. With the truth revealed, it had come as well. Back to bite him in the ass.

He was still wearing his uniform. Dark blue suit, white dress shirt. Shinra. They were at fault. She'd been in the wrong place at the wrong time. Who could have known the third valve in Reactor One would burst during her shift? Kalie Charlemagne, wife to Turk Reno Charlemange - accidental homicide due to a computer anomaly. He got the week off. Paid vacation time. That should make up for their screw up.

Screw up. It wasn't a screw up, it was an assassination. He didn't know who they had assigned to kill his wife, whether it had been a fellow Turk or someone else. But it changed little. She was dead and they had done it.

He knew the truth now. She had known too much. She'd stumbled upon information of a project. Some sort of strange human experiment. And for that she was dead.

If he still felt anything, he would fear for his life. If they ever found out that he knew the truth, he'd probably meet the same fate. But he didn't care. Life was nothing to him, just as it was nothing to Shinra. He got drunk every night, numbing himself up, and waiting until the next day would dawn, almost hoping that it wouldn't come. A whore here, a vodka shot there, nothing mattered. If he died within another day, another year, or another decade, he didn't care, and neither did Shinra. They'd just find another heartless bastard to replace him.

Eyes of cold emerald glass narrowed. He clenched his teeth, staring out the window to a cool, polluted, Midgar twilight. Shinra would go down. He'd served them long enough. He'd perpetuated its lies, fueled its existence, protected its leader. Shinra would go down. He'd make sure of that. They had fucked up his life and he would fuck up theirs. They would go down. Each and every one of them.

He stood up from cold, unfeeling bed, and grabbed a small black address book from the drawer of his nightstand.

They would pay. Reno knew just the place to go, and he knew just the woman to talk to.

A/N - I've worked a bit more of this out. Reno being Reno, I couldn't have him like this originally was, and then completely different only moments after in the first chapter. So he's a little cruder, and the events of his wife's death are a little different. Suffice it to say, I think this is quite a bit better...

On to Chapter one! –>


	2. Ch I : Explosive Beginnings and Conclus...

**Those Chosen by the Planet.**  
_Final Fantasy VII Twisted._  
By S. Rena Valentine 

Chapter 1 _"Explosive Beginnings and Conclusions."_

Dark, damp, and disgusting. There were a lot of different and likewise negative adjectives that could describe the great Shinra city of Midgar. It was one of the few consistencies in the desolate, corrupt metropolis. Why, there was the wafting scent of burning rubber, coupled with that of slowly decaying rotten garbage and rusted metal. The rain, when it fell, was almost always acidicly inclined and collected in gutters and sewers, occasionally overflowing in a burp of blackish, brownish watery liquid that nobody wanted to acknowledge... In short, it was a dump. A wasteland.

He stared out, coldly toward the terrain of a place he never wanted to see again. Lower Midgar, a realm all its own, and a place he would never call home. Home implied family, warmth, love, and security, of which Reno had none. He sighed as he noticed the slowing speed of the train. They were getting off soon. Things were about to get interesting...

Therein lay another consistency. The Midgar Express. Spanning the giant city from sector to sector, it was one of the most prized developments Urban Development had to offer. It ran cheaply, efficiently, and almost always on time

And their security was a mess. A horrible, wonderful, hole filled mess.

"C'mon, Turk. Le's get a move on."

The train came to a screeching halt that made Reno wince internally. Sure it was well made, but the Midgar Express was shit in comparison to what the upper plates had to offer. He shook his head and slowly rose to his feet. His new boss was a large man, quick to anger, and had a gun grafted onto his arm. Not that Reno was intimidated. He just didn't want to spend his precious hours picking bullets from his hide.

_ Today's gonna suck... _First day on the job. Avalanche were horribly annoying. Planet this, save that. If it weren't for the money, and the satisfaction involved with helping take down the company... Well, he would probably be plastered in Costa Del Sol.

Reno stepped off the train and noted, from the corner of his eye, the oncoming Shinra soldiers. With a roll of his eyes and a flick of his wrist, they were immediately trapped within individual pyramid spells. He continued walking, unscathed.

If his new boss was bad, the three lackeys he toted around were horrendous. It was like being trapped in a old television show. He was just waiting for one of them to say "Golly gee willickers." They were so... good. Clean. _Nice. _

"Wow! You used to be a Turk all right! I would never have dreamed that one of you guys would come on down and join our cause!"

So naive. It was scary. He ignored the man. Biggs. Probably one of the most effeminate looking men he'd seen in a while. Then there was Jessie. Now, she was a cute one, so far as Reno could see. Totally not his type, but she'd be a decent fuck. And there was the other guy... the pudgy one. Reno wasn't quite sure what his name was. He obviously had some sort of self esteem issues. Not that Reno knew anything about that, but the man barely said a word, and didn't do much else. Sheep. The lot of them.

Jessie and Biggs were squabbling in back of him, obviously concerning the idea of a dreaded, hateful Turk in the presence of their high and mighty terrorist group. He smirked and continued on his way.

"What the hell you doin?"

Yup. Barret Wallace seemed less than thrilled with his team. Bad enough Reno was there, but the people he actually trusted were acting like a trio of two year olds.

_Today's gonna suck, but it may be... interesting._

The larger man looked over the smiling Turk and seemed less than pleased. Reno had a feeling that Tifa had pleaded with Wallace for a while to get him to take him along. He had to hand it to Tifa. She could be very persuasive when she wanted to be. Maybe it was all that time working in a bar...

"Turk eh? Don't trust yah."

He fought back a snort. Now there was a understatement if Reno saw one. The very thought of Barret Wallace trusting anyone from Shinra, much less a Turk was ludicrous at best. Then again, the same could be said of Reno. He followed the Avalanche leader deeper into the bowels of the reactor. It was only a job. Nobody said they had to be friends.

"This your first time..."

Reno rolled his eyes and continued walking. What was with all the small talk? "I'm a Turk. I've seen enough of Shinra to walk through here with my eyes closed. Backwards. With..." He was cut off.

"I've deciphered the code, if you two'd like to come along." Jessie motioned to the two men and walked to the elevator. She could tell Reno was an ass, and she had to hide her amusement after watching Barret's face go from curiosity to extreme annoyance. She wasn't sure if she wanted to be around or not, should Reno decide to stick with Avalanche... She hopped into the elevator leaving Barret and Reno behind.

"The Planet's full of Mako energy... People use it here everyday... It's the life blood of the planet, but Shinra keeps sucking it out with these weird machines..." Barret seemed wistful. He obviously felt strongly about this cause. Reno was almost taken aback. Almost.

"If I wanted a lecture, I'd go to Midgar U. Either we both go now or I torch this place myself and watch your ass fry on the way out." He twirled his nightstick absent mindedly as he watched the elevator return to their floor.

"That's it! You comin' with me now."

"Why Wallace. I didn't know you liked me that way!" Reno smiled maliciously and followed Barret into the lift. This was more fun than he'd thought it would be.

The elevator was small, as all reactor elevators were. They were usually meant to hold five people at most. Reactors generally had small numbers of actual qualified workers, and a likewise small number of human security guards. Less people on the payroll.

Reno pressed the button and leaned against the cool metal of the lift, careful not to press any buttons in the process. It was cramped in there. He had a feeling Barret counted as two people.

"Little by little, the Reactor'll drain out all of the life" He was persistent, Reno had to give him that. Like a yammering guard dog. Reno looked up to the ceiling of the elevator and noticed his reflection staring right back.

"Not my problem." He squinted coldly, his reflection returned the look.

"The Planet's dying!" Barret was shocked. How could anyone claim that something so important wasn't their problem? Sure, this man was a Turk, but he was still human...

Reno glared at the man. He was tired of the constant tirades. Blah, blah Shinra. Blah, blah, Planet. Wasn't it enough that he was helping them out. Leading them into the Reactor so they could blow it into oblivion?

"The only thing I care about is finishing this job, getting my money, and getting the hell out of Midgar. You got that?" The elevator came to a stop, the door opened, and Reno left. He had a feeling Barret was in no way pleased.

_Screw him..._

The reactor was large. Reno hadn't exactly lied to Barret, he'd been in this reactor with Kalie when she first got the job. She was so excited. All those years studying and she had finally made it as a Mako technician. She had to show Reno. Hell, she had to show everyone she knew. That was just the way Kalie was...

"When we blow this place, there ain't gonna be nuttin' but a hunk of junk."

Reno smiled coldly. He liked the sound of that.

"...Set the bomb."

Reno was dumbfounded. Barret, wanting him to handle the heavy explosives? Something seemed out of whack. "Well this is a surprise."

"Don't go thinkin' I'm trusting you. I just gotta make sure you don't pull nothin."

"Blow this place up? Gladly..." Reno knelt down and stared at the numerous colored wires that were attached to the mechanism. Explosives were one of Reno's fortes. Time bombs, motion sensors, you name it, he knew it. He leant forward and set the wires in place, punching in the codes and data for the timer. He paused as he stared down at the final button, the button that would finalize this action.

_"Do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife?"_

_"I have a surprise for you..."_

_"I love you..."_

"What's wrong? Hurry it up!"

Reno shook his head. Now was definitely not the time... He squinted angrily, pushing back any emotions that dared enter his being, and pressed the button. Ten minutes.

"Here they come, Turk-boy. Show me what you got."

Reno glared at the oncoming robot. He wasn't in the mood for any of this. It was a Guard Scorpion. Easy to dispose of when you knew what you were doing. Keep away from the tail and you're home free. Nothing to worry about.

He moved in for the first move, shocking it with a Lightning spell. Barret then moved in with a barrage of bullets. The man was pretty powerful. They continued, leaving the machine little time to counterattack. Easy, but tiring.

Search Scope. The Scorpion was weakening but still a threat. Barret moved in for another attack and narrowly missed hitting the tail.

Reno winced in anticipation. Just a few more inches and they would have been in trouble. This thing wasn't that bad, from what he'd heard, but they were in a hurry and the Guard Scorpion's attacks hurt. "Watch it big boy! Hit that tail and we're both fried."

Barret took a step back and growled. He hated being corrected. "I ain't no fool."

The tail lowered and Reno sprang forward, dashing to the machine, his nightstick raised. He'd had enough of this endless battle. It was boring. He jammed the weapon into the Scorpion's mechanical abdomen and raised the setting. The machine jerked suddenly and grew still.

"I never liked bugs..."

_I'm an idiot. I'm an idiot. I'm an idiot!_

Jessie stared down at her leg. She had been running away from the reactor when her foot fell through a loose metal shaft, wedging itself in the floor. She was in a hurry. This was definitely not something she needed.

_C'mon!_ She continued jerking, but it seemed useless. She sat back and stared toward the core of the reactor.

_I hope they get out in time..._

"Is it broken?"

Jessie looked up, startled. Reno stared back, his green eyes flashing in amusement. She wasn't surprised.

"Naw. Doesn't hurt much. I was an idiot. Didn't look where I was goin.'"

He knelt down, and carefully unhooked her boot from the metal floor. Odds are, she had been struggling too frantically to notice just how easy it was for her to get free. Reno grinned devilishly as he pulled himself to his feet. "Nice legs."

Jessie's smile of thankfulness fell as she tested her foot out and waltzed past him. "Too bad you'll never get that close to them again."

He continued smiling as he watched her leave him. _A good fuck indeed..._

_One down. Seven more to go._

Barret ran; Jessie, Wedge, Biggs, and Reno behind him. So much to do. So much relied on them all. The Planet, the human race, even their enemies.

_One down. Seven more to go._

They had about a minute until detonation. Shinra wouldn't see it coming. Tifa was right, Barret hated to admit. Reno wasn't all bad. Maybe only half.

Though he was still annoying as hell.

He skidded to a halt, safely outside of the range of the explosion. The couldn't have much more time left.

"Jessie?"

She looked down to her watch, the seconds ticking away. "Four... three... two... one."

The explosion shook the compound, sending Wedge, Biggs and Jessie to the ground. Barret stood firmly on the ground, staring as flames of orange and red danced along the destroyed metal building.

Reno, braced himself against the wall and smiled. He hadn't seen anything so beautiful in a while.

"Goodbye Kalie..."

A/N - Okay. I think I know more of where I"m going with this. Now I have to rework my prelude/prologue. It doesn't make nearly as much sense with this following it. And there's a few interesting plot holes that I need to clear up.

I'm really liking where this is going... If anyone has any thoughts on this - comments on the storyline, characterization, etc, I'd love to hear them.


	3. Ch II : Innocence and Reality

**Those Chosen by the Planet.**  
_Final Fantasy VII Twisted._  
By S. Rena Valentine 

Chapter 2  
_"Innocence and Reality"_

_"Witnesses said that there was no warning. The blast came from nowhere, devastating Reactor One. It is uncertain how many have been killed or wounded. Luckily, due to the time the casualties were most likely kept to a minimum. Crews are attempting to salvage what remains, and assess the damages. Stay tuned for continuing coverage of this terrorist attack and an exclusive MNN presidential press conference."_

"That should keep the planet going... At least for a little while..."

Over the din of creaking metal and crackling flames, Reno could barely hear their voices. He was beginning to get used to the notion of being with these renegade environmentalists. It wasn't quite as annoying or surprising to hear them talking of the planet and its state of well being. Sure, it was getting tired and drawn out, but he was getting paid. That was enough for him.

"Yeah..." Wedge answered reluctantly.

Reno stared out, noticing the strange angle of the damaged wrought iron gate that fenced in the compound. He pushed the gate gently, grinding his teeth in a vain attempt to ignore the hideous screeching noise of metal against metal. Their escape route needs met, he slowly wandered out of the confines of the Reactor One compound and lit a cigarette.

Barret stared at the ex-Turk silently, and followed him out. He didn't want to admit it, but Reno was helpful. Very helpful. Too bad he was such a self absorbed asshole. He shook his head and turned to the group. It was time to act like a leader.

"All right... Rendezvous at Sector Eight Station."

Reno snorted, taking a drag from his cigarette. _Rendezvous. Never though I'd hear a word like that from the man..._ He tossed the item to the ground, not giving it a second glance. Another fire wouldn't hurt the place. "You payin' me then, Wallace?"

Barret ignored him and continued on his way. This Turk was definitely more than just an asshole. "Ever'body move out. We'll be meeting on the train."

Some days it didn't pay to roll out of bed in the morning.

She was shrouded in a soft pink dress, her long wispy strands of brown hair tied in a matching ribbon. She walked with a grace unheard of in the slums, a small basket of flowers in hand. Chaos surrounded her as people ran to and fro, in an attempt to learn what had happened in the neighboring sector, but she seemed unfazed.

She looked up and saw a man walking briskly toward her. Her sea green eyes brightened in anticipation. She hadn't sold a single flower all day, and evening would soon be fast approaching.

"Sir, would you like to buy a..."

The man bumped into her, bringing the flower girl and her wares crashing to the ground. Pink, red and white flowers scattered around her. The man continued walking, seemingly not noticing the girl he had pushed down.

"...flower." She pulled herself to her knees and attempted to gather the fallen blossoms, sighing in exasperation as passerbys neither stopped to help her, nor try to step over her flowers. She reached for the final, unscathed flower only to helplessly watch a gust of warm air push it farther into the crowd. Her only red rose.

The girl sighed once more and pulled herself to her feet, careful not to knock any more flowers to the ground. Half her inventory for that day was gone, ground into the dirt that now soiled her pristine pink dress.

She smiled wryly. _Mother... Sometimes it just isn't easy..._

"Does this belong to you?"

Snapped to attention, the girl looked up, and into the emerald eyes of the man standing before her. His eyes were beautifully complex, showing a mixture of underlying emotions, covered by a cold gaze. She could feel vengeance and sorrow bubbling beneath the surface. In his hand, he held the rose, its color nearly matching that of his red hair.

She internally shook herself. She was gawking. "Y-yeah. Thanks." She took the flower and gently placed it back in her basket. "What is going on out there?"

_She caught herself staring... how... cute._ Reno couldn't take his eyes off her. Something about her just didn't belong in the slums... on the planet. She was so clean, untouched. Good. She reeked of innocence. She couldn't be real. She couldn't be real at all.

"Something... I dunno." He rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "You should watch where you're going... You could get hurt'r something."

She looked to the ground, covering up an evident degree of embarrassment. "I know... I almost lost my flowers." _I'm such a klutz..._

"Yeah, I kinda figured." He grinned. "Selling flowers?"

The girl smiled and nodded. "Yes. But today hasn't been such a good day."

_Probably because of the explosion,_ he thought grimly, but answered with a trite, "Oh?"

"Yeah..." She paused a moment. "You... wouldn't be interested in one, would you?"

_What would I do with a–_ "I'll take five."

Four figures stood in the back of the Midgar Express, once more. Wedge. Biggs. Jessie. Barret.

No Reno.

"Reno's... still not here." Wedge stated quietly, obviously.

Silence prevailed once more. An uncomfortable, thoughtful silence.

"So..." Biggs began. "You think he skipped out on us?"

Barret gritted his teeth. There were a lot of different possibilities as to what happened to the Turk. Biggs' possibility, however... "Foo' wouldn't leave without his money."

Silence again. Biggs had something else to say. It was obvious from the look on his face, but he was almost afraid... Barret was in one of his moods. Tense wasn't enough of a description.

Jessie cleared her throat and looked to the rusted floor and her barely aching twisted ankle. "Kinda thought he might... I dunno..."

"Join us?" Biggs guessed, softly.

Barret growled in frustration. "What ya'll want someone like him in Avalanche for?" He slammed his hand into a nearby wooden crate, shaking it near the point of breaking. "Ya'll are as bad as Tifa!" He slammed his hand once more against the crate, a louder boom echoing through the train. "He ain't nuttin' but trouble."

The group stood in deafening silence once more, looking from person to person searching for some sort of response, other than the thick air of nervousness.

Thump.

Barret looked to the sliding train door, perplexed. He knew the loud sound wasn't emanating from him this time. _Probably a damn squirrel..._

What flew through the door was much bigger than a squirrel. A figure, dressed in coal stained blue, his red hair flapping in the fiercely whipping wind. A very ruffled looking Reno.

Jessie heaved a sigh of relief. Deep down she was afraid that something awful had happened to the cocky asshole of a Turk. Reno shook himself off, leaving a cloud of dust in his wake, and closed the door.

"Sorry for the delay, folks. I'm sure you all missed me terribly." He grinned at Barret, looking for some sort of response.

"Miss you? I ain't missin' you. Takin' your time, making a big entrance, leavin' everyone worried sick!" Barret inwardly berated himself. _Shoulda left that last one out..._

"Awwh, you missed me? Brings a tear to mine eye." Reno looked away from the larger man, dramatically, biting back a laugh.

"Keep it up, asshole. You'll be payin' fo that stunt." He turned to the door and exited the car, motioning for the rest to follow in his wake.

_"Last train out of Sector 8 Station. Last stop is Sector 7, Train Graveyard. Expected time of arrival is 12:23AM, Midgar Standard Time..."_ Reno ignored the announcement and wandered into the car, taking in the surroundings as he did so. Unlike the car they had just been in, this one had windows and lots off them. The view from the train always got to him.

Barret stood apart from the rest of the group, also looking to the slums. This was what he was fighting for. This and so much more. He felt Reno's presence behind him, staring to the outside world. Maybe now he could get through to him. "You can see the surface now, Turk. These slums don't have no day and no night. If that damned plate weren't there, we could see the sky..."

Reno continued staring. He knew all too well what Barret was talking about. "Most slum kids dream of seeing a sunset... A sunrise even. Anything's better than a constant cloud of smog... gloominess..."

Barret held back a look of near shock. "Woulda never though I'd hear somethin' like that from you... Maybe there's hope for you yet."

Reno shrugged, silently, allowing Barret to continue.

"People are sufferin' cuz of that fuckin' pizza. Rich people get the plate, and the people below get the pollution. Then there's the reactors killin' the planet." Barret paused a moment. "People'd move the the plates but they can't cuz they don't got money... Or maybe they just want to live on the land... They don't care how bad it gets..."

Reno continued staring as the train began to slow. He sighed, the noise barely audible.

"Nobody lives in the slums because they want to..."

A/N: Well, I should be studying for my second midterm, but the book is teaching me nothing and I think I'll be able to bullshit it successfully. Either way, this came out of my boredom and the emptiness of my lovely room.

New chapter should be up within the next two weeks depending on laziness, and as always, comments and criticism make me a happy mongoose.


	4. Ch III : Memories of a Barmaid

**Those Chosen by the Planet**  
_Final Fantasy VII Twisted._  
By S. Rena Valentine 

Chapter 3  
_"Memories of a Barmaid"_

_Damned Turk... pain in the ass... can't get through to him at all.._

He growled under his breath. Frustration.

_Just can't understand... damned Turk. Damned heartless Turk..._

People. Drunks. All in front of Tifa's bar. the Seventh Heaven had always been a popular spot for the rich and the poor alike. It was the scum that hung out after drinking that posed a problem. And Barret wasn't in the mood to play bouncer. He wasn't in the mood to deal with these... people. He just wanted them gone. They had important things to discuss. They had a mission. An important one.

The man readied his gun arm and pointed to the ground hear the drunkards feet. This should get rid of them. He opened fire.

The people scattered.

"Okay! Go on ahead!"

Reno passed the larger man, walking in back of his ragged pack of terrorist... rebels. "Showoff." He hated when people pulled that crap. _Like it's really special that he has a gun for an arm?_ Kicking the dirt beneath his feet, Reno looked up to see Tifa welcoming her friends into the establishment, relieved that no one had been harmed in the mission. If the others were classified as good, Tifa was a saint. A saint with... well, issues. Issues and... other assets. Reno had always been somewhat familiar with the Seventh Heaven. It offered okay beer at low prices, and hell, the view wasn't too bad. The firm, round, view...

"And Reno. Mind looking at my face when you come greet me?"

Yes, the view was ecsquisite. He looked up, a devilish smile spreading across his face. "Tifa. My favorite pers--" He stopped in mid-word, realizing what, exactly, had been bothering him about his jacket -- a strange prickly feeling that could also explain why he was out five gil, plus tax. A devilish grin seeping across his face, he reached into his inner coat pocket and brandished a small bouquet of somewhat crushed red and pink roses. "Por vouz." Reno bowed extravegantly, handing the flowers to the woman before him.

"Save it, Reno." Tifa rolled her eyes, about to continue with a barrage of insults when a whirlwind capped with brown hair and under three feet tall burst into the room, racing toward the door.

"Papa!"

The Turk tried to hide the smile - the real, pleasant smile that threatened to boil over. Kalie'd always wanted kids. The little girl raced over to, of all people, Barret and jumped into his waiting arms. That was something... new. New and unexpected. Reno edged closer to Tifa, and whispered the waiting question, "Who's the podling?"

The woman stiffened, trying to stifle a laugh at Reno's crude terminology, "Marlene, why don't you introduce yourself to Reno? He's helping us out now."

The little girl buried her head into the crook of Barret's arm. "I don't like him. He's creepy."

This time the smile escaped, accompanied with a short laugh. "Smart kid. I like her."

Five minutes later, everyone was settled in to the bar, settling into... routine. Something Reno was obviously unfamiliar with. Tifa fixing drinks, Barret amusing his daughter, the others polishing off full-course meals. And Reno? He sat silently on a worn out old barstool, playing with a piece of paper.

A glass thunked down on the mahogany of the counter he rested against, promptly being filled by one of Midgar's finest lagers. "I wouldn't take it too seriously. Marlene's shy about everyone."

Reno snorted. "Who said I was offended? Nah... I dun mind." He continued folding over the paper, absently, in his hands. Tifa took a sip from the remaining portion of the bottle and leaned close to him.

"So how'd the mission go? You get along with Barret?"

Reno stifled a laugh, scoffing instead as he took a long swig from the bottle. "That's a loaded question if I've heard one, Lockheart."

"I figured as much. Barret doesn't get along so well with jackasses..."

_Must hate 'imself..._

Ackward silence wafted over their little corner, cut through by the soft voice of Tifa's. She stared silently at the flowers. "Thanks for the roses... Where'd you find them?"

"Alexandria street... after the explosion. Took pity on a gal in pink."

"I see..." Her face grew more serious as she attempted to corral every last bit of courage. "Er... just out of curiousity..."

Reno raised an eyebrow quizically. This sounded like the beginning of an interesting question. He waited, hoping it to be something amusing. Alas...

"Was there anyone from SOLDIER fighting you guys?"

"Whuzzah?" Reno shook his head. This was totally not the kind of question he was thinking she would ask. In fact, the question itself was out of the blue to say the least. What was Tifa thinking about that she wondered... that. Not to mention how incredibly ludicrous the idea of her little terrorist organization going up against a SOLDIER. Reno would survive... possibly Barret, but the rest? Hah!

"I hate to break it to ya, but if we had, your little group would at least be missing three."

"I see... and you're sure?"

Reno nodded absently, returning to the little piece of paper that was slowly folding, forming into a small, white crane. He placed it on the counter.

"Turks have to go through intensive training, on top of being trained as SOLDIERS. I'd recognize their fighting style anywh--"

"Talkin' 'bout yo grand ole Shinra again?" Barret made his way over, the sound of his heavy boots clomping on the aged wooden floor.

"You again?"

"Sometimes, the way you talk, you sound like you miss them."

"It paid well." Reno hopped off the stool and stood in front of the much larger man.

"Well, don't you forget that your skinny ass's workin' fo AVALANCHE now. If I find you've been double-crossin'"

Reno growled a feral sneer, his fingernails biting into the palm of his hand as he attempted, vainly, to restrain himself. When he spoke, his voice was harsh and rough from anger. "You asked me, I fucking answered. I am through with Shinra." He turned to walk past the man.

"Then why the suit? Why the attitude."

Reno stopped in mid-stride. Wallace had a point, but damned if he was going to give in that easily. Truthfully, Reno did have other clothes he could have worn, but... years as a Turk. The suit had become second nature. Anything else just didn't feel... right. Made him feel naked, unprepared. He shook his head, his eyes once again turning cold with fury as he dug through his pocket to pull out a pack of cigarettes.

"I'll be back in in a bit to talk about my money, and then I'm out of this shit-hole."

The door slammed behind him, leaving a very silent crowd within. Tifa looked down to the empty barstool, staring at the small, white origami crane. Thinking. _Maybe... that was a bit much..._

"Figures as much." Barret settled onto a chair, surprised when Tifa suddenly disappeared from his sight. The front door once again opened, then shut.

Reno leant against the porch balcony, puffing fervently, trying his hardest to calm down. Damned if the nicotine would enter his bloodstream any slower, though... He heard the door behind him, sighed, and raked his fingers through his hair. Just when he thought it was over, someone had to come and bitch at him. He turned around, knowing he would see Tifa there behind him.

She moved soundlessly, planting herself beside him, his eyes following her. "Listen, Reno... I'm asking you. Please join us."

"Hah." Reno squinted, looking in to the horizon.

"Forget the others. The planet..."

"Is dying. Everything's dying. The world's gonna end. Please, explain why I should give a shit?" He stared her down, his words biting, his gaze acid, boring its way through her flesh.

She was quiet. Startled. True, she had never known Reno well, just a slight friendship grown during occasional trips into the bar. Back then, something had been different. Sure he was still in Shinra, but... he seemed to care a hell of a lot more about things. She sighed.

"You were right earlier... about SOLDIER."

He looked at her, raising an eyebrow.

"They wouldn't have made it against Shinra elite."

"Well, that's an understatement."

He removed his jacket, noting the way she hugged herself. That was Tifa for you. She was cold, and yet... wouldn't complain. He placed the coat around her shoulders, an action that made Tifa jump a little. She hadn't expected it, but thanked him soundlessly, nonetheless. The coat was warm and surprisingly made of comfortable material. It smelled like cheap alcohol, and cigarettes. Snuggling into the material, she looked at Reno, intending to smile, until something clicked.

"Reno... have you lost weight?"

He reached into his back pocket soundlessly, grasping for another cigarette. It was definitely one of those days. Truth be told, Tifa wasn't incorrect... he had noteably lost weight since Kalie's death. Did he want to talk about it? Of course not. He hadn't even talked about his true motives to turn on Shinra in the first place...

He shrugged. "That why you're up here?"

Tifa played with the straps to her fingerless gloves. Something had definitely happened with Reno. Something he obviously didn't want to talk about.

"We... _I_ need you, Reno."

He held smoke in his mouth, not knowing what else to do. So Tifa finally came out and said it. That this whole shinra thing was something personal as well. That it had more to do than just with the planet. He exhaled and she continued.

"I had... a childhood friend.

"We grew up in Nibehlheim, together... seven years ago he left to become a SOLDIER."

Reno sighed. So that whole questioning and answering session now made sense. She was curious about him.

"He said that if I ever needed him, even if he was famous, he'd come back and save me."

Reno snorted. "Saving? Why would you need saving? YOu can kick _my_ ass..."

"I know... but this was years ago. Maybe it was a... romantic dream? The knight in shining armour? And... he promised.

"And I never heard from him again." She paused thoughtfully. "Didn't you have anyone like that... when you went into SOLDIER... when you became a Turk? Someone to wait for you?"

"Yeah." He stamped out the cigarette on the deck, making a beautiful burn mark on the aged wood. He raggedly raked fingers through his hair. She'd never give it up. "Fine."

It wasn't like he had anything better to do.

"Fine. I'll help ya out."

"Don't tell me ya did it, Tif!" Barret stood a few feet behind the woman, an annoyed look spread across his features. "We can do without him."

"It was his choice."

Barret grumbled, the sound reverberating through the porch. "Fine. But I catch you..." He grit his teeth. "A promise is a promise. Here." He tossed Reno a small pouch of gil.

Reno opened it, bored. "That's it? I make that much sitting on the can as a..." He paused. "Twice as much for the next mission." And with those words, he entered the bar, leaving the two friends out to talk on their own.

"We're really hurting for help now. You know it. I know it. And he's been trained by SOLDIER. He isn't turning back now." She looked at Barret, pleading.

The man sighed, now leaning against the deck. "Ah know, Ah know... that's a lot of money, though. It's for Marlene's schoolin'."

Tifa smiled and place a hand reassuringly on his shoulder. "I know. I'm sure everything'll be fine though. We'll get through this."

Inside, Reno stood by the door, listening. He dug his hands into his pockets and continued through the building, intent on sleep, on dreams, and on thinking this all through again.

And for the first time in a while, Reno felt guilty.

A/N : Hey look! I'm not dead yet! beams psychotically


	5. Ch IV : The Perpetuity of Rotten Luck

**Those Chosen by the Planet**

_Final Fantasy VII Twisted._

by Sakurazukamori Neko (SRV)

Chapter 4

"_The Perpetuity of Rotten Luck"_

And that was how he joined them. It wasn't because he wanted to, or because he cared... it was just a moment of compulsive decision making. And Reno had always been compulsive, his actions generally decided on a whim leaving him to worry about his actions, and the consequences later. When they actually mattered.

He was loathe to reveal the other reason – Tifa. He couldn't resist her... she was just so small and lonely out there on the porch, staring at the stars and, for reasons he couldn't understand, confiding in him. Like she needed him. He hated being needed, but once someone did need Reno, once there was no turning back and he had to look out for them. Especially women. The fairer sex had always been his weak spot. And now, in the elevator of the Seventh Heaven, he realized this. Realized this with stunning clarity. It wasn't so much that he had feelings for the raven haired fighter, it was something else. Something that drove him to be there for her when she asked. Because she had no one to be there for her... and Reno no longer had anyone who needed him. His girl was gone, dead.

But she had always wanted him to be kind. Good. To help others. So now Reno was with a group of lame-ass do gooders with lines that made him want to vomit rusty nails.

_Saving the Planet. Yeah, like that'll take just a weekend._

Was it really that difficult to say 'no?'

The elevator opened and Reno stepped out. He hoped that this day would be better than the last.

"You finally wakin' up?" Barret state gruffly to the rumpled former Turk. Everyone was ready, and it seemed as if Jessie, Biggs and Wedge had all left already. Reno inwardly groaned. Sleeping in wasn't necessarily something he had planned on... True, he enjoyed getting on everyone's nerves, but at the same time he didn't want to start in with Barret. Again.

But Tifa was there also, standing behind the counter, drying off a beer stein. She smiled warmly as she shelved the item. "The others have already left. They're picking up some items for the mission."

"So where we to, chief?" Reno leaned backwards against the wall and looked back and forth between the woman and the much larger man. He cocked a grin.

"Sector 5 Reactor. And you better be ready now 'cuz we ain't gonna wait any longer for yo' sorry ass."

Reno rolled his eyes and sauntered on to the door. "I wouldn't want to keep you waiting." He looked back at the pair, waiting for them to follow him, but surprisingly neither of them budged. "Well?"

Barret looked back at the redhead, an odd look spreading across his gruff features. Almost nervous. Tifa elbowed him in the ribs and started for the door.

"Well?" Reno leaned in the doorway and pulled out a pack of cigarettes, shaking the contents and inwardly sighing at the lack thereof.

"Actually... uh." He scratched the back of his neck and looked to the wooden ceiling. "Before the next mission, I got somethin' I wanna ask you."

Reno grinned, wildly, thinking of something pervasive to say. Noting the look of mischief, Tifa kicked him in the shin, silencing him.

"See... I uh... I dun really know how to use Materia... I'll give you that Materia you found. Just teach me how to use it." Barret produced a blue orb which Reno immediately recognized as a low level "all" Materia. Useful, but not by itself.

Reno sighed and thrust his hands into his pocket. It figured. Sure Barret was a good fighter. He was powerful enough and he didn't have that many holes in his defenses. He just wasn't all that bright.

Reno grabbed the orb and tossed it in the air. "Actually, without any other Materia, this one's pretty useless. See... this is a support Materia. You need to pair it up with another one to gain it's full effect."

Barret stood agape, obviously trying to take in what Reno was explaining.

Reno pulled out his Electric Magnetic Rod with a twirl and showed the slots to Barret. "My EMR has two slots that are connected – so they channel magical energy to each other. When you pair an 'All' like this one..." He snapped the magical orb into the empty slot. "With this lightening Materia, you can cast lightening magical onto all opponents. This will work on attack or curative Materia... basically any Materia that's green.

"There are a lot of other kinds of Materia... Red Materia summons... Purple Materia..." He was cut off.

"Shi... fine fine. You can handle the damned Materia." He pushed past Reno and left the bar with a huff.

Reno smirked at Tifa. "Did I hurt his pride or something?"

"Barret... well, Barret's Barret. You surprised me, though. I didn't expect you to know that much." Tifa smiled playfully.

"Like I said... I was trained as a SOLDIER. I had to know this kind of shit or it was back to the slums with me." He nodded to the exit. "I guess it's time for us to go too, eh? You coming along too this time or are you gonna make us dinner again? I'm sure Wedge'd love that." He winked.

"And miss the fun of you two feuding? Of course I'm coming!" She tightened the straps of her fighting gloves, mostly for show, and turned to Marlene. "Marlene, you watch the bar when we're gone, alright!"

The little girl beamed from behind the counter, obviously standing on a stool to peer over the top of the mahogany. "Yep! Good luck!" She waved, childlike as the two left.

"Are you sure it's good to leave her alone there?" Reno raised an eyebrow. He knew that people were more than self efficient in the slums, even from a young age. He himself had learned to use various weapons by the age of thirteen, but... still. Marlene was such a young girl.

"She'll be fine. You'd be amazed how mature Marlene can be."

"If you say so..."

"Oh!" Tifa stopped in her tracks and looked toward a nearby building. "I almost forgot! I got a message from the Weapon's shop. The owner has something he wants to give you. I guess he's behind us, too."

"Word travels fast 'round here, I guess." Reno shoved his fingers into his pockets. "Maybe I can pick up some smokes while I'm at it."

The "something" turned out to be little more than some simple words of useless advice on item usage, preparedness, and safety while on a long journey. As if Reno didn't have the common sense to know anything about traveling. The up side was the extensive shop downstairs which supplied him with some vital Materia – among them a "Cure." With these idiots on his side, he'd _have_ to have that on hand.

Reno exhaled a long stream of cigarette smoke. And to his luck they also had a cigarette dispenser. He needed something to calm his nerves, and it would be a lot more difficult to defend himself should something happen if he was liquored up. Thus, he had to turn to his other main vice.

He leaned back on the train station bench, trying to avoid crusty bird droppings and sticky chewing gum. Midgar was filth. It would always be filth. Why couldn't AVALANCHE understand that. It didn't matter how often Tifa smiled or talked about the sanctity of the Planet. It didn't matter how much Barret nagged him about the dying Planet. This couldn't ever change. He leaned his head back, inhaling deeply and closing his eyes. He could hear the train coming in the distance. He knew things were about to get interesting. Again.

"Train's coming!"

And, of course, just when Reno had gotten comfortable, that was when Jessie appeared. He opened an eye and stared back at her, taking in the shy smile. Without a word or even a motion of real acknowledgement, he closed his eye and melted back into the uncomfortable particle board and steel of the bench.

Biting her lower lip, Jessie hopped onto the platform again, inching close to the edge to wait for the train. She could see it coming through the tunnel, the lights shining dully through the cool fog like dust.

Truth be told, Jessie was a little nervous about this mission. She knew that they had beefed up security, now relying more heavily upon ID checkpoints. It was still full of holes, as it probably would never be anywhere near perfect – perfection was for the Plate.

This time, however, it was a little more difficult to find the holes. And that's where AVALANCHE's technical expert came in – Jessie Watts. 

Jessie was a story all her own. While the rest of AVALANCHE were presumably born and raised in the Midgar slums, Jessie was from Gongaga. Her father, a scientist, has always wanted a boy, but when he got a girl he decided to make the best of it. Instead of dresses and dolls, Jessie grew up with books and technology. What she didn't have in friends and social interaction, she more than made up for in accomplishments. She grew to be a great hacker, a great encoder, and a great technician.

At seventeen, Jessie moved to upper Midgar, following her father's untimely death. She attended Midgar University – the prestigious and very expensive University where celebrities and future Shinra execs often started their path to fame. She dreamed of being just like them – accomplishing everything she knew she could.

When she graduated at the age of 20, she traveled down to the slums for her own personal experiment – she wanted to see the security of the train system in the slums, intending to prove just how hole ridden they truly were. But before she got there she stopped at a certain bar for a bite to eat. And then she met Tifa... and Barret.

And then she became embroiled in the quest to save the Planet.

Her priorities shifted. She always wanted to be famous, but now she wanted to make a difference. And she knew very well that her skills would be vital to helping out the fledgling group. A year later she was still part of the group. They had become a second family to her. And she wouldn't have it any other way.

But... no matter what, she knew she wasn't perfect. And anytime she programmed a bomb, or set up fake IDs she could never shake a certain degree of fear that _this_ time she would have done something stupid. _This_ time she would screw up.

"Please let it go okay..." she clasped her hands together nervously as the train skidded to a halt, feet away from her. "Please..."

Sydney was a Shinra manager, a man of little importance in the scheme of things who just managed to make it to his position and pull himself up a few ranks. He was a squirrelly fellow with ratty thinning hair and a sour demeanor about him. His job, for lack of a better word, 'sucked' but it paid well enough and he wouldn't mind the paychecks for the next thirty to forty years.

He had a feeling it would be a bad day. He just didn't think it would get _this_ bad.

"Yo! Looks like this ain't no private car! So split up!"

Sydney looked up and saw a large man and his rag tag gang of hooligans. A perfect beginning to a perfect day in the office. He slouched in his seat, clutching his briefcase safely to his body. "...hoodlums again. God, don't I just have all the luck..."

Maybe that wasn't the best thing to say...

Barret was in a sour mood. Still. Reno stared at the scene that unfolded before him with a certain degree of amusement. Shinra had a lot of snotty people in its ranks... people who irked him to no end. To see one be harassed by a man three times his size – complete with a gun grafted onto his beefed up arm was... beautiful. He watched Barret turn around almost nonchalantly.

"You say sumthin'?"

No reply. Barret gritted his teeth. If he hated anything in the world it was being ignored. "I said, 'you say sumthin'!" He stomped a boot clad foot fiercely. The man froze, his eyes wide. "Yo, lookit that! It got empty alluva sudden."

The Shinra manager stared up at him, still holding the briefcase tightly. And then he suddenly grew balls. "It... It's empty because of... g'guys like you!"

A bad move. And he immediately knew it when Barret stomped a boot again, standing tall and upright with his fists clenched. The man shrank back in terror. "I... I mean... God, you've seen the news, right? AVALANCHE says there'll be more bombings. Only devoted employees like me would go to Midgar on a day like today.

From the corner of the train, Reno chuckled to himself and sat down. He crossed a lanky leg and leant back. This would be beautiful. He knew this guy was snooty, but he didn't know just how stupid he could really be.

Barret growled deeply, "You workin' for Shinra?"

The man stood up straight and defiantly. "I'm not giving in to violence. And I'm not giving you my seat either."

"Barret!" Tifa pushed her way between them. The last thing they needed was a simple brawl messing up their plans. Their mission was clear and simple – do in the reactor and get out of there undetected. Barret's belligerence would not help things along. She clutched Barret's arm and pulled him away.

Barret snorted at the man who was silently returning to his seat. "Shit... You lucky fuck." He turned around and spied Reno, splayed comfortably along two train seats, sunglasses covering his eyes. He was grinning.

"So what now, fearless leader?"

"Shit! The hell you so calm about?"

Reno pulled himself to his feet. "I just prefer not to get embroiled in idiotic scum." He sidled across the train, turning to the Shinra manager. The man stared back, coldly at the redhead, contemplating him. Reno grinned as he lowered his sunglasses, glaring at the manager, "Boo."

The man shrank back this time, startled to be looking at the glowing blue-green coloration of swirling Mako. "What are you?" He managed out in shock. Reno continued on his way, a smirk on his face and a skip in his step. He huddled over with the group, placing and arm playfully around the shoulder of Tifa. "So what're we up to now, mon frere?"

"Well, I think we're about halfway there..." She blinked and looked back at him, "...did you just call me your brother?"

"Hah! Mr. Serious About His Work!" Barret scoffed. "Awright. I'll tell ya. Ah'm guessin' Jessie already told you, or maybe you already know 'bout the security checkpoint at the Top Plate."

Reno appeared bored. "ID scanners on the train?"

Tifa chimed in, "Shinra's very best!"

"So we can't use the fake ID's then. What's the good news?"

Tifa opened her mouth to continue, but was cut off by the disembodied voice of the computerized "Conductor," blaring over the train's intercom. "Good morning, and welcome to the Midgar Express. Arrival time for our next stop – Sector 4 Station will be at 11:45 AM. Thank you for riding with us."

Tifa grabbed Reno's arm and pulled back the coat sleeve to find a black, watch reading 11:24. Her eyes widened. "We only have six more minutes until the ID checkpoint."

Barret stepped in. "Alright. In five minutes we're jumpin' off the train. Got it?"

"Oh, such daring people we all are." Reno grinned, charmingly.

And that's when everything started going wrong. And Jessie's silent fear finally came true.

Everything went red. A siren was heard. The emergency lights were flashing.

"What! The ID Checkpoint is supposed to be further down." Tifa looked around, shocked.

The Conductor's monotonous voice came over the intercom once again. "This is a Type A Security Alert. Unidentified passenger confirmed in Car 2. A search will be conducted. Please remain in your seat until all cars are checked. I repeat. Type A Security Alert."

"What's happening?" Tifa turned to Barret.

"Don' look at me."

Reno looked up calmly at the security camera. "This isn't the ID checkpoint you're talking about... this is something else." He pressed his glasses further up, completely covering his eyes. If anything could get them attention, he didn't want it to be his Mako eyes. This situation was bad enough as it was. He heard the sound of boots clomping quickly to his side and braced himself for security, clutching his EMR rod, hidden underneath his coat.

What he saw, however, was Jessie, her eyes wide. "We're in trouble!" She huffed, breathing deeply. "I'll explain later. Hurry up! We need to get to the next car."

Barret scowled, "Shit! Someone blew it!"

Out of the corner of his eye, Reno watched a look cross Jessie's eyes as she winced. _What was that? Guilt? _ He shook his head. This would have to wait for later. They had to hurry.

"Car 2 will be locking down in ten seconds. Prepare for lockdown."

"Shit. Let's go! Keep it up!" Barret made for the door, followed by Jessie, Tifa, and Reno. The stopped a moment, catching their breath and hearing the disconcerting click of the door locking behind them. Biggs and Wedge ran to their side with a look of sheer relief. It didn't last long.

"Unidentified Passenger located in Car 3..."

Jessie pushed Reno forward. "Just run! Hurry! We're changing to Plan B."

Reno turned to her, confused, "What's Plan B?"

"Just follow them!"

Three cars later, the group was out of breath, tired and on edge. They had made it to the last car. Reno just hoped that this was it. Whatever happened to just jumping the train – that's what he wanted to know. None of this running from locked trains, dodging angered passengers and their snotty children. He didn't see this on the job description when he decided to join AVALANCHE.

Barret tossed himself onto a wooden crate, ignoring the creaky snapping of old wooden boards. "Awright. We clear."

Jessie shook her head, her hair tossing about. "Not yet. That wasn't the main security checkpoint we were worrying about. We were supposed to be able to bypass that with our IDs... but I screwed up. If they catch us... we're done for!"

Reno raised his eyebrows to Barret. "I take it we're jumping now?"

"Got a problem with that?"

Reno grinned devilishly. "Nah, just wanted to see if ya'll were serious about this little stunt."

"Nuthing more serious than this!" Biggs opened the door and leapt out of the moving vehicle. He was followed by Wedge who jumped a little less gracefully. Jessie was next, reluctantly following, the guilty look plainly obvious to Reno.

"I'll go next!" Tifa pulled down her skirt self consciously. "No peeking!" She disappeared into the night.

"After you?" Reno eyed Barret.

"A leader always stays till the end. Don't worry 'bout me, just go."

Reno stared down at the rushing land below him, trying to ignore the howling wing. No matter how many helicopter rides he took as a Turk, he never enjoyed heights. He particularly hated free-falls as well. And even though this wasn't particularly a high jump, it did make him feel uneasy.

_I'm gonna need a smoke when I get out of this one._

"And don't go gettin' yo' ass hurt! It's only the beginnin' of the mission!

And with that, Reno gulped, closed his eyes, and jumped.

An overweight man, blonde and stylishly dressed in a dark brown suit, smiled with sick amusement as he pet the smooth fur of a large black cat.

The President of Midgar – the head of the Shinra Electric and Power Company, stared at his head Turk, Koichii Tseng. The Wutaiian nodded back.

"A routine checkpoint at the Midgar Express, line 458 found him, sir. Shall we dispatch SOLDIER?"

The man scratched the cat behind the ears. "No, Tseng. I'd... like to deal with this Turk himself. Rough him up a bit. You said he's unstable anyway."

Tseng straightened up at this notion, "A Turk is still a Turk, sir."

"Don't worry. We'll get him. I would think that you, out of anyone would enjoy playing with him first." He laughed. "We won't let him get away for long. He knows too much anyway."

"Yes, sir."

"Prepare my helicopter. I have an idea where he's heading. Dismissed."

"Yes, sir." Tseng nodded and headed for the door, closing it softly behind him.

_I'm sorry about this Reno... Really, I am._

"You tellin' me to squeeze into that little hole? No way. Maybe yo' scrawny ass. We'll think of another way."

Reno rolled his eyes. Barret's obnoxious attitude was relentless and it seemed like he derived a certain degree of pleasure from pissing him off.

"It's the only way, so either you go down the hole or you stay here. The choice is up to you." He paused, then smirked. "I get it... you're scared!"

"Ah, damnit! That hole gives me the chills..." He gritted his teeth, glaring at the smug look on Reno's face. He wasn't going to let the ex-Turk one up him once again. With a growl, Barret jumped into the small space and ferreted his way through. He was then followed by Biggs, Wedge, and Tifa.

Jessie bent over to enter the hole but was stopped by a firm hand on her upper arm. She whipped around sharply, loose hairs wisping around her. She stared at him questioningly.

"Listen, I know you think this is all you're fault... the IDs and everything..."

Jessie stared at him in confusion. How could he have known? Known that she had screwed up?

"You didn't screw up. This was all my fault."

"Wait. What are you talking about? How can this be your fault?"

Reno shook his head and in one deft movement, removed his dark blue coat. He then pulled up his left sleeve, revealing a tattoo – what appeared to be a barcode, branded onto his bicep.

"What is that?"

"I didn't think they'd be looking for me. Turks go missing all the time. They always just figure they've died... or gone crazy. It happens all the time." He fixed his sleeve calmly and put his coat back on.

"What are you going to do?"

"I don't know... I'll figure it out when we get finished here." He motioned for the passageway. "I just wanted to let you know. Couldn't have you all moody and quiet the entire time. We might need you for something."

Jessie smiled. This was about as kind as Reno was going to actually openly be. She then hopped into the hole and disappeared.

Reno followed, climbing his way through the tunnel until it emptied out in a large room – the main area of the Reactor. All they had to do was cross the long suspended bridge and set off the bombs.

"Go on! I'll keep watch!" He called out, watching Jessie and Barret run toward the main Reactor chamber. He knew he wasn't needed for this part of the job. Reno had never liked dealing with bombs much. He turned to Tifa who stood beside him, also preparing for the worst.

"This has been a hair-raising experience?"

"Can't be any worse than Turk work."

Reno shrugged. "I suppose." He scratched the back of his neck. "Though... it's completely different work..." He twirled around his EMR rod, hoping that he wouldn't have to use it anytime soon.

"We're done!" Jessie called as she ran to the bridge.

"Yeah! Let's get a move on!" Barret followed her, watching as she disappeared into the small hatch they had entered through, followed by Biggs and Wedge. He looked up to motion to Tifa and Reno, relief in his eyes at finishing up the tough part his eyes widened. "Shiii—Shinra!"

Reno turned around and scowled. "So close."

And all their exits were blocked.

"What the hell's goin' on!" Barret cocked the safety to his gun arm.

Reno looked around, from the faceless SOLDIERS around him to the angered and confused faces of AVALANCHE. "It's a trap." He looked up to the sky, listening quietly. "...The President's here."

"Presi... President Shinra?" Barret was shocked, and for good reason. The President never traveled much. It was clear he viewed himself as far superior to the rest of the population.

"Why is the President here?" Tifa looked at Reno questioningly.

"Its YOU isn't it!" Barret lunged for the former Turk and grabbed him by the scruff of the neck. Reno didn't move.

"Barret!" Tifa made an attempt to stop the larger man.

"No, Tifa." He looked Reno in the eyes. "I knew... I knew from the beginning this was all a lie. A Turk is a Turk and Shinra scum will always be Shinra scum." He spat that line out, rage flowing through his every word.

Reno swallowed anxiously. "You're right... this is my fault."

With a rabid cry, Barret threw Reno backward until the redhead hit the metallic railing. "We trusted you."

Reno winced as pain shot through his backside. "...But I didn't double cross you." He added with truthful conviction. "I didn't know it before the train fiasco... they're after me." He pulled himself to stand.

"Why... Why are they after you?" Tifa pushed her way forward.

"Because he knows too much." A voice boomed through the space. Tifa looked around frantically, noting strangely how none of the SOLDIERs had moved. They appeared to be just blocking the exits. Then she saw where the voice emanated from. A sound she had somehow managed to overlook. A black helicopter.

"Hmph. And how amusing. You seem to have found some new friends, Turk. What are you pests called again? Oh... what was it?

"AVALANCHE! And don't ya forget it!" Barret shouted, raising a fist to beat out his words.

"Long time no see, President." Reno called out with a certain degree of boredom. "But you got one thing wrong. I ain't a Turk. Not anymore!"

"...Long time no see?" The President paused a moment. "Now I remember that terribly annoying accent of yours. A former Slum kid. You're voice has that piss-water and garbage sound to it. I read about you in your file. The one that said you went missing in action even though we clearly found you traveling the Midgar Express. So refresh my memory, Turk. What was your name?"

"Reno. A pity you can't remember my name since I'll be the one to do you're sorry fat ass in." He growled, EMR in hand. He lunged forward, chanting the incantation to set off a lightening spell, but watched in dumb fascination as it did... nothing.

The President smiled and waved a hand at Reno, the glint of a large ring clearly visible. Reno growled inwardly. _He absorbed my attack... Of course it wouldn't be that easy to hit him._

"Forgive me for asking, but I can't be expected to remember each person's name. Unless you become another Sephiroth."

"You still on that ass-bag." Reno shouted up, mockingly. "That fucker was crazy and everyone knew it."

"Oh, don't worry... we have someone far more interesting in the works. He's not quite as powerful as Sephiroth at the moment, but he is showing great promise. A pity you won't be around long enough to witniss his skills."

Reno narrowed his gaze, thinking of something to say, but Barret beat him to it.

"I don't give a damn 'bout none of that! This place's goin' up with a big bang soon!"

Tifa joined in, "And you have front row tickets to the show, _President_!"

President Shinra looked bored, however. "And such a waste of good fireworks... but at least that'll take care of our vermin problem." He smiled coldly.

Barret's eyes narrowed, "Vermin! That's all you can say? You Shinra're the Vermin! Killing the planet, controlling people. And what does that make you, Jackass?"

"You are all beginning to bore me. I'm a very busy man, after all, so if you'll excuse me, I have a very important dinner I must attend to."

"Dinner? Don't gimme that! I ain't even started with you yet!" Barret moved forward, aiming his gun arm, only to watch helplessly as the helicopter began to turn around.

"Oh, don't worry... I have a playmate picked out just for you." He clapped his hands and disappeared into the distance, the sound of helicopter blades being replaced by the whirring of a distant machine.

"What's that noise?" Tifa said in a hushed tone.

Reno snapped back to reality, turning to notice the fleeing SOLDIERS. "This... can't be good." And then he saw it. A giant robot zoomed over to the trio, separating Reno from Tifa and Barret.

"What the hell is that!" Barret called out, dodging an attack from the machine and shooting it full of a round of machine gun bullets.

"It's called 'Airbuster.' But last I heard, it was still in development... It had too many problems to be used by SOLDIER."

"SOLDIER has machines like this!" Tifa attempted a kick to the machine, but didn't even make a dent. "Agh! I'm useless against this thing!"

"It's supposed to gain data for future use, extracting it from fights it gets into... the only problem is that it's prone to explosion." Reno dug in his coat pocket and found a small green orb – ice Materia. He tossed it in the air, over the robot's head. "Catch!"

Tifa caught it in midair and popped it into the slot on her fighting gloves. "Thanks!" She then cast the spell, watching in fascination as what seemed like hundreds of small ice crystals formed around the body of the robot, bursting and freezing its form. It fizzled from the impact, leaving it prone to an attack from behind. 

Precisely what Reno needed. He flipped a switch on his EMR, pushing it near full power, and pressed it where the head and the body connected. Then he let the power rip.

Electricity sparked as the Airbuster went wild, shaking frantically with the surge of power. Reno jumped back, skidding to a halt watching the machine sputter, screws and bolts falling around it.

"Shit... it's gonna blow!" Reno managed to call out, giving his two companions time to get out of the way.

Reno, however, wasn't quick enough. He felt the heat of the explosion barely miss him, the shockwave pushing him forward and to the ground as scrap metal showered upon him.

"Reno!" Tifa called, watching in numb horror as the suspension bridge began to collapse, pieces of it breaking down and falling to the slums below. When smoke began to clear, she saw Reno, clinging onto the edge of the bridge.

"Not... good." He managed, feeling his grip on the metal floor slipping.

"Barret! Can't you do anything?" She looked to the man but saw him only shake his head in helplessness. "Hold on, Reno! We'll think of something."

"Yeah, yeah. I know." Reno felt himself slipping. "Ah, man... this sucks ass! Shit..."

And then Reno realized something that made him sick to his stomach.

"Barret!" He gasped, feeling his left shoulder pop out of place, knowing that he wasn't going to be able to hold on much longer. "Barret... the reactor."

"Awh, shit!" Barret said softly, watching the AVALANCHE member struggling to pull up his weight.

"Get Tifa out of here... Hurry up and leave!"

Tifa shook her head. This couldn't be happening... it was all going so right. They were going to take on the rest of the reactors together, all of them. No one was supposed to die. But there was no other choice. "Please don't die! We'll find you down there! I know you can survive this!" She called out before she turned and ran out.

"You heard her. You keep yo' scrawny ass alive!" Barret turned and followed her through the corridor.

Reno, still hanging, smiled at their pleas, hoping that he could stay true to what they asked. Grunting softly, he heard the beeping of the bomb and the softly blowing wind, knowing what was to come.

And let go.

As he felt himself plummet, he watched as the Reactor exploded above. Falling... Falling. Nothing had ever looked so exquisite. So beautiful.

And then everything went black.

**Author's Blurb:** I've been struck with the urge to write again. Quite a bit of exposition this time, but it was needed. More fun to follow.

I've been confronted with the fear of who Reno's going to get all lovey with. In other words – whose camp is going to be turned off by this fic. Truth be told, this is the first fic where I can honestly say I'm NOT going to go for any sort of overarching romance. I want to stay as true to the original as I can (in a twisted story) and in the original, there is little to be seen as canon romance. I think that's what makes fanfiction romances dealing with VII so interesting. Reno being Reno, he will most likely continue hitting on random characters, and hey – Tifa's rack is something everyone can gawp at. I'm just not going to hook him up with anyone. I do that enough in my other fics.

I'm still considering how to handle the date scenario. Part of me wants to write three (or four) different scenarios which will be different from each other, but will in no way effect much of the continuity of the piece. I know this didn't quite make much sense in the game itself (as the date was never again mentioned in the game), but it seems much more favorable than making a poll... as this fic gets so little readership as it is. So who knows? It'll be a little while before that, anyway.

Bleh. That was tiring.


	6. CH V : A Flower Blossoms in a Church

_**Prenote**: _Thank you to an anon reviewer who pointed out that FF.N ate my section dividers. I have fixed the problem and also added a bit to the end to coincide with a key point in the game. Well, maybe not key, but Elmyra character dev't. So here it is again. :)**  
**

**Those Chosen by the Planet  
**_Final Fantasy VII Twisted.  
_by Sweetest Oblivion

Chapter 5  
_"A Flower Blossoms in the Church"_

It felt like a veil. Like mists in a long-forgotten chasm. Or something. Truth be told, Reno was in far too much pain to be the least bit poetical. In the slightest.

He was seeing things in black and white, upside down and all around. And red. Red. Red. Red. Shaking, mobile images. An explosion. A fire. Screaming, crying, red. A knife – slicing, blood. A red rose, fallen, trampled, red.

_'No… no, no, nonono!'_

Fear.

_'But that's it, isn't it Reno. It's everywhere, this blood, this guilt. And there's nothing you can do about it. You will never be free. You will never forget. _

_Your fault. Your fault.'_

Doubt.

_'I would have never allowed it. I had no idea.'_

Rationalization.

_'Your fault. Heh.'_

Insistence.

_'They held the gun…'_

_'…I pulled the trigger.'_

Acceptance.

* * *

He had fallen through her ceiling, unceremoniously, crashing through the thin and rotted wood planks of her sanctuary, her church, the one place she felt safe. It was a small abandoned church, one of the few sanctified areas in Midgar, a small religious haven in a not-so-fiery pit of hell. She loved it there. 

But nothing all that interesting ever happened there. Until someone came crashing through her roof and gave her one of the biggest frights of her life. He had hit the ground with a sickening thud – the kind of thud that you'd hear from a bag of potatoes being thrown off a roof.

Though you never fear that the potatoes will be dead when you recover them…

So mouth agape she crept up to the broken, battered man who was lying, spread out, crushing the flowers that grew on the sacred, holy ground of her church. He was a vision in dark blue – a coat and pants, his hair a fiery red mane, tied back haphazardly. And breathing. Actually breathing. She was about to nudge his beaten form with a boot when he jerked suddenly and moaned.

"Oh!" Surprise. She dropped to her knees and shook his shoulders gently, hoping for another response. Simply incredible. She had to wonder where he had fallen from… and how he had managed so survive such a fall. "Are you alright?" She mentally kicked herself. Of course he wasn't alright!

"Unh…" His eyes still closed, clenched in pain, he raised a hand slowly to his forehead, rubbing the tenseness. He turned slowly, rolling to his side, slightly, and opened glazed over blue green eyes. "Hello… Flower girl."

Her green eyes opened wide in surprise as everything came together in her brain. He had seemed familiar when she first glanced at his inert form – the eyes sealed this vague feeling. She smiled. "Hello."

"Where in Shiva's name am I?" He thrust himself in a sitting position, groaning softly and attempting to catch his breath.

"You're in a church in the Sector 5 slums. I was about to ask how you got down here in the first place… Gave me quite a scare."

Reno took in his surroundings, aghast. Wood lay broken all around him, old and somewhat worm-eaten. He raised his gaze upward, spying a large hole in the ceiling, chunks and planks of wood mysteriously missing. The redhead rubbed the back of his neck thoughtfully. "I came crashing down?" His throat felt as dry as the wood around him, his words coarse.

"Your guess is as good as mine. I was attending to… errands in here when all of a sudden – Boom! There was an explosion or something and there you were in my flowerbed." She clasped her hands in front of her. "Are you okay?"

"I'll be fine… I've been through worse." He slowly got to his feet, staggering a bit, but managing to find his footing. "Flowerbed?"

"You're standing on them." She got to her feet and pointed down, grimacing at the trampled tulips and daisies. His feet were big, his boots were clunky, and it would take weeks to undo the damage. But she had to laugh at the panicked look that crossed his face as he hopped out of the spot and found hardwood to step on.

"Oh, don't worry! The flowers are resilient. They'll be fine." She inched closer to him, smiling innocently. "The ground here is sacred."

"Sacred?" He looked her over quizzically. This girl couldn't be for real. Nothing was sacred in Midgar.

"That's what I've figured! Nothing can grow in Midgar. Not even weeds. And yet…" She motioned toward the flowers. He followed her lead. Then she cleared her throat, bent forward playfully and looked him straight in the eyes. "I don't think I ever got your name…"

She was smiling at him, almost radiating light. It occurred to Reno that she smiled a lot. Almost too much. Something seemed amiss and he almost wanted to stick around to find out exactly what it was she was that she was hiding behind a smile and nod. He pushed this back, however. She was waiting for a response. "It's Reno. And you are…?"

"Aerith Gainsborough." She bowed. "Thank you so much for buying my flowers!"

Reno shrugged and thrust his hands in his pockets. That had been yesterday… After the previous reactor explosion… Reactor. Shit. He looked back up to the hole in the ceiling and everything hit him, suddenly. This was great and all, really, but he had people to get back to. And as much as it pained him to realize it – he still had a job to do and he still had to get back to Avalanche.

_'I need a cigarette.'_

But of course he didn't have one. He sighed and shook his head, then opted to wander the church a moment.

He had to admit – the building was beautiful for what it was. There weren't too many churches still around in Midgar. Most plate dwellers worshipped one bright and shiny golden entity – the one that brought, or rather bought them whatever it was they could desire. Slum rats… well… they didn't have time for worship. Midgar drained them of any sense of hope, it seemed. To see this church in the slums was... nice to say the least.

It was simple, constructed mainly out of wood – something Reno had gotten used to not seeing on the Plate where everything was full of metal and lights and buttons. The pews were likewise made of wood, worn after years and years of use and misuse. The varnish and finishes had all but vanished over time. He ran a finger over the fine grain. The wood was of okay quality. Not great, but not the kind of crap you find all over Midgar and definitely not some sort of particle board.

"Oh! Er… Reno!"

He whipped around, toward the voice, startled, grabbing for his holster and finding nothing. An old habit. Realizing it was the flower girl, he let go of the stance and loosened up. "Hmm?"

She was gingerly holding his nightstick in her hands, looking it over. "This fell down about the same time you did. I mean, a lot of things fell, sure, but this was obviously not scrap metal. Does it belong --"

"Yes." He stepped forward and took it from her outstretched hands, twirled it and fit it back into his holster. Now he felt complete.

"What was that?" She stared at him quizzically, a strand of dark hair falling into her eyes.

"Electro-Magnetic Rod… EMR for short. Kind of like a nightstick, but with an added kick…" He trailed off, knowing that he had perhaps said far too much.

And he had. Her face scrunched up in thought. "I see…" She crossed her arms in front of her chest, rubbing her shoulders as if a cool breeze had blown in. Aerith seemed less than comfortable with the thought of this… weapon. Sure she knew that battle was necessary to survive, but this EMR almost seemed… cruel. "And what exactly do you do, anyway?"

He raised an eyebrow, not entirely sure what to answer with. He couldn't say 'terrorist,' but 'former Turk' didn't sound to great either. "I… er… do things."

"Things?" She leaned forward playfully. "Like what?"

Reno was about to throw out some retort – any retort, when the sound of a door swinging wildly open caught him off guard. He swung around, startled. And then things got worse.

"Oh, all sorts of things. Why don't you tell her the truth, Reno."

Blonde with a blue suit that accentuated the curves of her hips, it was Elena of the Turks. On either side of her stood a lower ranking Soldier. She casually held a gun in her well manicured hand and stared at him with murder in her eyes. He stared back at her calmly and moved in between the approaching figures and the flower girl.

"Elena." He stated as she approached.

Aerith watched Reno and Elena – the familiarity they had with one another, and shrank back, her eyes narrowing. "You know her? You aren't… I won't let you take me!"

"Yes, that's precisely what he is." Her voice cut through the air of church. "How does it feel to be buddy-buddy with a Turk, Ancient?"

"_Former_ Turk." Reno growled, icily. "Why are you here? Had a change of heart? Grew a conscience?"

Elena chuckled and clicked back the safety of her silencer fitted pistol. "Oh, I will miss you so much when you are dead. But orders are orders… or have you forgotten?" She moved forward, slinking to his side.

Reno leaned back, considering the woman before him. Shinra had her ready, should anything… happen to him. She had taken over when he had gone on "vacation," after his wife's death. She had been acting Turk when he had been injured, whenever he had been injured. And it was clear why – she wasn't that great at what she did. She was ruthless but jumped into things without thinking, like an over-enthusiastic puppy.

Reno smirked as he considered her. A Golden Retriever.

Elena was only really suitable to short term employment in the Turks. As a replacement – nothing more. Reno's grin widened, knowing all this. "What? Did you come all this way to taunt me?"

"You think so highly of yourself! No, no, no. President's orders – find the Ancient and bring her back to Hojo's lab."

Reno narrowed his eyes. "And… why is that?"

"She has information locked away in that pretty little head of hers. We're looking for something now, though I'm not entirely sure what it is. All I know is that we need her alive, but we can take you dead." She examined her fingernails bored, then turned back to him. "If you turn her in, Reno, I'm sure the Company will forgive what you have done."

He turned to Aerith who stood pale against the wall, her green eyes like saucers.

"Hey, Laney!"

"Mmm?" She moved closer.

"You talk too much."

"I take it that's your final answer?" She paused a moment and winked. "Oh well!"

And aimed the gun straight at Reno's head. He stared coldly at her, watching her finger hit the trigger, millimeter by millimeter.

And then, a flash of light, and a ball of flames struck the Turk in the hands. She gasped, shrieked, and dropped the gun to the ground. "You!" Reno turned around, bewildered, and saw her. The flower girl was holding a long metal staff in her hands, materia shining brightly in its slot. She was no longer fearful, but determined. Determined to get back at them. Determined to escape.

"I…I shouldn't trust you, but something is telling me to give it a shot. If you've been a Turk than you must know how to bodyguard. Get me out of here."

Reno shook his head slowly. He had other things to do – more important ones, but it occurred to him that he probably owed the girl now… and that she might better understand this area of the slums. He was shaken out of this brief reverie by the sound of the blonde, growling from her spot on the ground, searching under seats trying to find her weapon.

"Do what you want with him, but make sure to take the girl alive!"

"Yessir!" Both Soldiers leveled their guns toward the redhead. And… with a roll of his eyes and a smirk they were both encased in Pyramid spells, unable to attack or even move." Reno relished the brightness of the spell, the golden glow. It was a pity that more people weren't acquainted with it. Not so much a pity that it's usage was so... rare.

"Siiir…" They called out to Elena, pounding on their sealed cells. But she snorted angrily as she pulled herself to her feet and watched the redhead and the Ancient run to the back exit of the church. She would get them. She would make sure of it.

And Reno would pay. He had embarrassed her for the last time.

* * *

"She failed." 

Tseng turned to Rude from the coffee maker in the Turk's lounge. The taller man stared soundlessly at the Wutaian from his spot on the sofa, peering at him through dark sunglasses. "I was already made privy to this knowledge." And turned back to the screen of a large television.

Tseng ambled over, closing the door on the way over.

"What you haven't heard, however…" He hushed his voice considerably. "Is that it was Reno who stopped her."

Rude raised an eyebrow, thoughtfully. "Reno?"

"Yes. It appears that he may be made our top priority sooner or later." He sipped his coffee. "Just thought I should give you a heads up."

Rude nodded and turned back to the television. "It's a pity we can't give Reno a heads up."

"Yes. I know."

* * *

With a leap and a climb, Reno and Aerith stood on the roof of the church, staring down to the streets and roads below. From the distance, two battered Soldiers and an enraged Turk begrudgingly left the scene, empty handed. Reno watched, wondering if this would have been him, if he had decided to stay with the Company. 

"You were one of them?"

"I was never that incompetent." He sat on the shingles of the roof, staring up at the metal work of the upper plate and wondering when he'd get to see sunlight again. Would he live to help finish AVALANCHE's task? Or would he die before ever meeting up with them again? And did it even matter in the end? He shrugged. "I was actually one of their best." Reno's voice was sardonic and bitter. A year ago he would have been proud to be one of their top Turks. Now? It had all been for nothing. He didn't care anymore.

"But… that's terrible! How could anyone?"

"You do what you have to do." He cut her off and stared blankly her way. "Anything is better than starving and dying in the slums." He considered this a moment, recalling the profession his mother had when he was a child. The bedraggled way in which she had come in from work in the morning, sometimes as he was about to leave for school. Bloodied, hair bedraggled, clothes torn. There were worse things than being a Turk, he thought. Likewise, there were probably worse things than just giving in and dying. And while he knew than his mother had done what she had to do to keep him alive, he still wasn't sure if this was a good thing. And so he had no qualms with voicing this belief, his voice scratchy as he replied, "Well… almost anything."

She approached him cautiously and sat at his side, still holding the metal staff. "I suppose I can almost see your point… by the way… this is yours." She plucked the glowing green stone from her staff and placed it in his hand. Fire materia. "It fell along with you."

He placed it in the empty slot on his wrist bangle, feeling the aura of fire magic racing back into his body, a light fluttering that told him what was possible. "I thought it was yours… had no clue it fell out."

"Oh, Materia's too expensive around here. I only have one. It came from my mother."

He raised an eyebrow. "What kind?"

"I'm not entirely sure." She stood up and looked down cautiously from the roof. "It's pretty useless, though."

He followed suit, standing up and leaning against a chimney. "There's no such thing as a useless materia. That's one of the first things you learn in training. Lemme see it."

She reached up to her hair, unclasping something from the bright pink ribbon that encased her locks in its braid, and pulled out a small circular stone, the shape and color of a pearl. She placed it in his hand, noting with some humor the look of sheer confusion that washed over his face.

"I've never seen anything like it… but…" He closed his eyes, the stone emitting a radiance, a warmth that flowed into his palm. "It is materia. I can feel it." He turned to her, his eyes glistening in the setting sun. "What does it do?"

"Nothing!" She took it from his hand and placed it back in its hiding spot. "It's useless… it doesn't do anything!" She seemed almost bemused by this notion.

Reno shook his head. "It has to do something. Maybe that's why you're being followed?"

Aerith shrugged. "I don't even know who they are. I mean... I know they're with Shinra, but why? They come every once in a while, especially lately. For a while I thought they had gotten bored with me and decided to give it up, but suddenly…" She trailed off. "I should be getting home. My mother will get worried about me if I don't."

Reno grinned, staring at the setting sun, or at least the bits that showed through the cracks of the plate. He began wondering about his lifespan again and a tremor threatened to burst forward, some primal desire to live. Ah, he needed some nicotine, and so he formulated a plot. "You buy me some smokes and I'll take you back home safely."

She smiled and hopped down from a higher shingle of the roof. "It's a deal!"

Within a matter of a few minutes they reached the ground, soft and dirtied in the setting sun, Reno first, then Aerith. "Good, then let's get a move on." He made a move to lead the way to the point where the three Sector's met when a hand grabbed his wrist. He turned suddenly and there she was, her grip firm and warm.

She paused a second, staring into his now obviously glowing green eyes. Mako. "I just noticed it now." She let go and Reno involuntarily grabbed the wrist in his other hand, staring at her in confusion. This girl could be so bold and vague at the same time. "Huh?" was all he could let out.

"Your eyes. You were in SOLDIER?"

Ah, the Mako. It suddenly made sense. "Standard procedure in Turk training. Though some bypass the step entirely, like our good friend, Laney there." He smirked but she didn't seem to notice. In fact, Aerith seemed to be in her own little world, pondering half to him and half to herself.

"Did you ever meet someone named Zack while there?"

Reno was beginning to sense a pattern here. First Tifa and then Aerith. Did anyone not have a missing loved one in SOLDIER? He decided to play along, though. Let her at least think that he was trying to remember. "Not sure... what'd he look like?"

"Mmm..." She came closer to Reno, unnerving him yet again. "About your height, maybe a little shorter. Black hair, spiky. Last I heard he uses a Buster Sword."

Reno's eyebrows furrowed, knowing all too well who she was talking about. Zack... Montero? Something like that. He remembered him vaguely from a few years back when he was involved in a reconnaissance mission. This SOLDIER had escaped from a Shinra base with what was said to be a "valuable asset." What it was, Reno wasn't sure. At the last moment he had been called away and Tseng, head of the Turks, had gone with a different set of assassins. All Reno had to go on was paperwork, but the paperwork spoke volumes of this Zack character. He had been on duty during the Nibelheim incident as well, had watched the great general, Sephiroth go virtually insane. Zack Montero was allegedly very strong, very smart...

And now very dead.

But looking into Aerith's pleading eyes, he couldn't bear to tell her the truth. Reno cleared his throat. "All I know is a Commander by the name of Zax... but he's pretty old." He was lying and doing it rather well. "Why? This guy a boyfriend?" He cocked a grin as best as possible, trying not to think about the truth.

She smiled and blushed slightly, "He was something like that, but that was a few years ago. We ended on friendly terms. I think he wanted me to be happy in case anything happened to him..." Aerith looked to the setting sun. "But what are we sitting around here for! C'mon Bodyguard!" She giggled.

Reno smiled. There was definitely something behind all of this smiling and laughter. Something peeking from just beyond the surface and for a moment he knew that she had almost let it slip. This Zack... this man she had been in love with. He would find out eventually, if he stuck around long enough. For now, Reno had to get going. Aerith needed to get him and he needed to find Tifa and Barret. "Lead the way!"

After about twenty minutes of hopping from trash heap to trash heap and dodging shifty individuals, Reno and Aerith made it to a small alcove in the slums. It was a pretty little area, hidden away behind a deadened overpass and a particularly foreboding heap of scrap metal. Reno's breath caught in his chest when he saw it -- a small cottage, two story yet quaint sat before his very eyes. Beyond it lay an otherworldly little bridge and a large flower garden.

There was something magical about this girl.

"C'mon! What're you waiting for!" Aerith called from the front door of her house. She opened the wooden door and waited in the glow of the indoor lighting for Reno to come to her side. "Mom! I'm home!"

"Thank goodness, Aerith! I was worried si--" She looked up suddenly, taking in this man before her. Tall, thin, flaming red hair, blue suit and Mako green-blue eyes. Elmyra Gainsborough was immediately displeased with her daughter.

"Oh!" Aerith said sharply. "I almost forgot! Mom, this is Reno. He's my Bodyguard."

Reno smiled and held out a hand, but Elmyra just looked at it, then back to his eyes. "Pleased to meet you." She said a little too gruffly. "I take it those... men were after Aerith again?"

Reno winced, knowing that Aerith's mother was staring at his blue-black suit. Odds are she was not so naive -- she knew what the uniform for the Turks looked like. Especially if they made it a common habit to go after her daughter. "I... we took care of them." He looked away. Elmyra nodded and made her way to the small kitchen. Reno had a feeling that she wouldn't be going far.

Aerith's lilting voice soon shook him out of his reverie. "So what are you doing now?"

He looked up. "Ah... er... Is Sector 7 far? I need to get to a bar called the Seventh Heaven. My friend Tifa works there and I need to get in touch with her."

"Hmm... It's not that far. I can show you the way, if you want..."

"It's getting dark out, Aerith!" Elmyra's voice shouted from the kitchen. Just as Reno had thought -- this woman was keeping a very close eye on her daughter.

"Fine then. I can take you in the morning, Reno. We have a guest room for you to stay in. It's not much, but it's better than traveling at night." She made her way over to the small wooden staircase. Reno could hear the creaking of aged wood. This house was old but homey. Despite the attitude Aerith's mother displayed toward him, he could feel the love within it's walls. This family was very special. Especially when compared to many of the other slum families.

Reno blinked back a memory of the truth and moved to follow her up the stairs to the bedroom.

"You were a Turk, weren't you?"

Reno halted but didn't look toward the woman. He had a feeling that Elmyra was not so naive. She knew the uniform.

"I want you out of here by sun-up. I don't need any more trouble for Aerith."

He nodded, silently, knowing that he didn't want to mess with this woman. An overprotective single mother was one of the last things he would want to deal with and so he bit back the jarring retort that itched to scream its way past his lips. Trudging forward, up the stairs where he would paste on a smile for the sake of the flower-girl, he knew he could feel the piercing gaze of Elmyra Gainsborough on his back. She didn't want him there and now he had proof. He didn't want to be there any more, either. She had a point. He was a threat to Aerith if she decided to play the fool and tag along on his trip the Sector Seven.

Reno watched Aerith smile and say a sweet 'Goodnight.' Closing the door and plopping onto the scratchy wool blankets that covered the worn twin mattress of the guestroom bed, Reno knew what he had to do.

He set the alarm of his standard issue watch for Six AM.

**Author's Note: **Watching Advent Children gave me an added push to start writing again. So here is the next part which was halfway done until sometime yesterday. It's not too long, but I felt it had to end with his going to sleep. The next part will most likely contain the trip the Sector Seven along with the Wall Market scenes. Don Corneo and his mansion may also come about there as well. It should be very... interesting.

I've also signed up for a Livejournal challenge by the name of 30 Kisses. I will be writing thirty shorts -- most likely of drabble length but maybe a few longer ones that will all be in some way connected. Each section will contain a kiss of some sort, whether metaphorical or with entirely different characters than my chosen focus couple. Odd? It gets weirder. To challenge myself even further, I have chosen Tifa Lockheart and Rufus Shinra as my focus. They're going to be in for a bumpy ride!

Thanks for reading and see you soon. :D


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